Bear
by RisingPhoenix17
Summary: When a member of Firehouse 51 is involved in a horrible accident, it's up to a handful of strangers to save him and one nurse to mend his broken heart. Rated T for now.
1. Redneck As Hell

AJ had seen some pretty hellacious wrecks in her lifetime, but this one had to be one of the worst. And it had literally just happened a few cars ahead of her – other cars were still screeching to a halt and trying to go around the debris path. A semi had blown a red light and t-boned a pickup truck. If the pickup driver was still alive, she'd be surprised. Yanking her car into the closest parking spot, she jammed it into park, killed the engine, swung out of the drivers seat, grabbed her jump bag and a pry bar from the trunk, and ran as fast as she could to the scene, trying to avoid being hit herself.

The semi truck driver was already climbing down from his rig. "I couldn't stop!" he cried, "I swear, I couldn't stop!"

"Are you hurt?" AJ called as she approached the carnage. The pickup was bent almost into a C around the semi's massive grille.

He shook his head.

"Okay. Call nine-one-one and grab a seat somewhere." The passenger side door had bent with the impact. Damn, what a hit. Great. Getting that open was gonna suck. Good thing she had her crowbar. Quickly, she dropped her bag and looked inside the ruined cab.

The driver was slumped to one side, covered in blood and shards of glass. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. Even though she knew it probably wasn't gonna work, she tried the door anyway. Nope – no luck. Why did _everything_ have to be done the hard way?

"What can we do to help?" a man asked from behind her.

AJ glanced over her shoulder and was pleasantly surprised that there were four men standing a few feet away. Faith in humanity restored. "I'm gonna try to get this door open and get him out. I really don't want to have to take him through the window." _Because heaven only knows how badly he's hurt._ she silently added.

"Here, let me do that." one of the men offered, stepping forward with his hand out.

He was a big dude, so AJ handed the pry bar to him and moved out of the way.

With one mighty swing, the man jammed one end of the pry bar between the door and the cab and pushed. The damaged metal creaked and groaned as it gave way.

The pickup truck driver likely had some serious head, neck, and spine trauma going on, and no telling what kind of internal injuries. With that severe of a hit, AJ couldn't rule out the possibility of a subdural hematoma, either. She needed a backboard and c-collar, but there were no ambulances in sight, so she would have to make due with what she had. It just so happened that the pickup had a couple of scrap pieces of plywood in one of the racks on the back. One piece was snapped almost in two, and the other was damaged but still relatively intact. It'd look redneck as hell, but it would work. She tugged the plywood off of the racks and leaned it against the truck. As soon as that door came off, she was going in.

The big man grunted as he jammed the pry bar into the top of the door and pushed, making the metal squeak and pop. It wouldn't be long before he had it open.

Turning to her assistants, AJ began giving orders, "Okay, guys, our friend in there is pretty critical. As soon as that door pops open, I'm going in." She indicated her improvised backboard, "I'm gonna get him into this plywood as best I can, and then I need all of you to get him out. You _have_ to be careful; the slightest bump could worsen his injuries." Distantly, she could hear a police siren. Good. There should be an ambulance coming soon. Pointing to an open spot in the road, she continued, "Lay him down over there and I'll see what I can do until the ambulance gets here. Okay?"

The men nodded.

With one final push and an equally hard pull, the damaged door screeched open. Wasting no time, AJ scrambled into the cab as soon as her helper stepped aside. Glass dug into her hands and jeans as she reached her patient. Wedging herself between the seat and the crumpled dashboard, she finally got a semi-decent look at the man.

She knew him! Sort of. He lived on the floor below her. They'd greeted each other in the halls and elevator before, but that was it. In the urgency of the moment, she hadn't recognized his truck. Gently, she pressed her fingers against his bloody neck, expecting stillness.

He had a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

A new sense of urgency flooded her veins. There was still hope! She needed to get him out _now_. If EMS wasn't either there or within earshot when she had him on the pavement, she was taking him to Chicago Med herself. Carefully, she held him up with one hand as she pushed the release button on his seatbelt. The mechanism clicked easily, almost as though nothing had happened. Typical. "Board!" she shouted.

Without hesitation, the men fell into position as they slid the piece of plywood into the truck. Two men stood on either side of the door, one waited for the head, and one for the feet.

AJ wasn't entirely sure of how to go about executing her next move. She needed to get him onto the board without furthering his injuries. Time wasn't exactly on her side, either. Crap. There was no good way to move him by herself, and there wasn't enough room for another person in the truck. Crap, crap, crap! She would have to just do it and pray for the best.

Carefully, she began to ease him down onto the board. This was gonna take a minute that she didn't have. He would have to lay on his side until the men could get him pulled out enough to put him on his back. Someone would have to pull him up the board a little as they went, too, so that she could get his legs up. And then she would have to put him on his back.

A soft groan escaped the pickup driver as his shoulder touched the plywood. His eyes fluttered, then opened. He looked up at AJ.

"Hey, neighbor." she said, "Hang in there, okay? We're gonna get you out."

The man's eyes lost focus and slid closed.

AJ checked his pulse again, expecting him to be dead. He wasn't. This boy was tough. "Okay, guys, I need a set of hands!"

…

"Has anyone seen Casey?" Chief Boden asked, trying to mask the concern that was building within him. Matt Casey was _never_ late for work. He was thirty minutes late today.

"We've been trying to call him." Otis answered, indicating Dawson, who was pacing the floor, cell phone pressed against her ear. "It goes straight to voicemail."

"Something's wrong." Cruz said, "He's never late."

"Can we go look for him?" Dawson asked, ending her call.

Boden didn't get a chance to answer – the tones dropped as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Ambulance Sixty-One, Squad Three, Truck Eighty-One – please respond to the intersection of Eighth and Upper for a two-vehicle accident." the dispatcher announced. That intersection was only about two blocks away from the firehouse.

Without a word, the entire house scrambled, a sense of dread filling each of them.

…

"Bear!"

AJ's head popped up as a familiar voice called her nickname. Chili and her partner were running toward her with a stretcher. Two fire trucks eased into position around the scene and immediately emptied. Help had finally arrived. "S'about damn time you rolled your ass up in here! Do I gotta do _everything_ by myself now?" she teased, giving her old partner a smile.

"Girl, that boarding job is redneck as hell." Chili kidded as she and Brett dropped to their knees beside AJ. "I see you found our missing Lieutenant. What's the damage?"

"Well, he's not dead." AJ answered. "Not yet, anyway. Uh, multiple rub fractures, left arm has three beaks that I've found, left leg has one in each bone, I'm not sure about his neck and spine, but I'm sure there's significant damage there. Pupils are reactive, but slow – he woke up for a couple of seconds while we were getting him out. He's been breathing on his own so far. His pulse has been all over the place. Last time I checked, it was down knockin' somewhere around fifty-five over thirty-seven." She pointed to the wreckage, "Semi blew the light. He never saw it coming."

Chili shook her head, "Damn. Okay, let's get him properly boarded." As Brett moved the board into position, Chief Boden, Herrmann, Dawson, and Severide came to help.

AJ caught the look of panic on Dawson's face. That was interesting. Was she the girlfriend?

"On three." Brett said, "One…two…three."

As they moved Casey from the plywood to the backboard, his eyes fluttered open again, meeting AJ's.

"Hey, Lieutenant." she grinned as she helped to carefully lift him. "You're doin' great. Help's here, okay? Just hang on a little longer for me."

Casey's eyes rolled backward as they closed. He went limp.

…

Author's Note: AJ (Bear) and the plot belong to me. I'm not really sure where this is going just yet, so hang with me. Reviews are appreciated!


	2. Buy Me A Boat

The ache that permeated his body felt like it reached all the way to his soul. He could tell by how sluggish his senses were that he had been fairly heavily medicated. As his mind and body began to fully awaken and process things, he became aware of pressure points along his frame. Casts, bandages, and braces he realized. Cool oxygen flowed into his nose. An IV itched in his right arm. The sticky pads from the heart monitor that beeped softly in the background tugged at his chest when he breathed. The smell of bleach reached his nostrils. Chicago Med smelled like that. What the hell had happened to him?

The IV suddenly began to produce a high-pitched beep. A chair made the classic groan and whoosh that all hospital chairs made when someone got out of them. He hadn't even noticed someone else being in the room.

"Here now." a woman fussed gently, "Stop that racket." He could hear her press a couple of buttons, silencing the machine. She sounded different...southern maybe?

He needed to open his eyes. His left eye felt a little swollen. Could he even still see? _That_ was a sobering thought. Summoning strength, he forced his eyelids apart.

If he hadn't known beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was dead, he would've sworn that he was looking at a scrub-wearing Leslie Shay. As his blurry eyes focused on her, though, he began to see the differences. This woman's face was a little fuller, her lips not as pouty, her brown roots showing throughout her blonde hair... Okay, she didn't look much like Shay at all now that his vision was clearing. Where in the world had _that_ comparison come from?

Wait. He'd seen her before. Thinking hard for a moment, it hit him; she lived on the floor above him.

The nurse must've felt him watching her. She looked over from the IV pump and smiled softly, "There's those pretty blue eyes."

He grinned despite his discomfort, "Do you always flirt with your patients?"

She chuckled as she sat down on the edge of his bed, "Just the cute ones. I'm Alex. Alex Johnson. You can call me AJ."

"Matt Casey." He gave her a sly look as he anticipated her next move, "Lieutenant for Truck Eighty-One from house Fifty-One. I was born on February twelfth of nineteen seventy-nine. It's May of twenty fifteen, but I'm not sure about the day. Somehow I feel like it's not the fifth anymore."

AJ chuckled, relieved that her patient was already doing so well. And he was in a good mood, too! "You'd be right. It's the eighth now."

He started to nod, but his neck brace prevented it. "What happened?"

Well, that question came sooner than anticipated. She sighed a little, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Casey thought for a moment, searching his fuzzy memory. "I remember the light changing." he answered at length, "And then things get blurry. ...I remember you, though. Were you there?"

AJ nodded, "I was a couple of cars behind you. Me and four guys got you out." She showed her glass-scratched hands to him, "It was probably one of the worst wrecks I've ever worked. By all accounts, you should be dead. You wanna see a picture?"

Did he really want to see it? Yes and no. Yes because he wanted to know if her definition of bad was the same as his, and no because he really didn't want to know how close he'd come to death. He sighed, "Yeah."

She reached for the newspaper that rested on his bedside table and held it up for him to see. The headline read _Good Samaritans Help Nurse Save Firefighter_. "I dunno why they picked that headline. Neither vehicle caught fire and you were breathing on your own."

Casey's heart sank at the sight of his mangled truck. He couldn't afford a new truck right now! And he wasn't about to ask Jack Nesbitt for advanced payment. He was done. He'd have to take out a loan for a new truck. If he was even able to work again. That was a horrible thought. What if he wasn't able to work anymore? Not just in construction, but with the fire department as well.

AJ watched Casey's face as he examined the newspaper. She could only imagine what was going through his mind. And then, a look of utter defeat settled across his handsome features. "Hey, whatever you're thinking, stop it."

He looked up at her, mentally kicking himself for letting his emotions get the best of him.

"This is just a bump in the road, okay? You'll get past it."

He tried to smile, "Yeah."

She let her accent slip a little as she pulled her cell phone from her pants pocket, "Here, lemmie show ya somethin' good." Quickly, she scrolled through her pictures, tapping on the ones she wanted him to see.

Casey frowned when she turned her phone's screen toward him, revealing a closer photo of the wreck. _This_ was something good?

"This is what the wreck looked like to me. And this…" – she swiped to the next photo, which was of the smashed interior of his truck – "…is where you were. The force of the impact bent the passenger side door. We had to use a pry bar to get it open. The pieces of plywood that you had in the racks were broken. By all accounts, you should be dead. Not paralyzed, not vegetated, dead." She leaned forward ever so slightly, "But you're not. You're _alive_. Yeah, you're pretty beat up, but you're holding an intelligent conversation. You're alert and pretty damn oriented. And, truthfully, I'm surprised that your injuries aren't more severe. I've been a nurse for a long time. I work EMS part time. I've seen some bad stuff. All things considered, I'd call you a bona fide miracle." She returned the phone to her pocket, "That truck can be replaced. Your tools can be replaced." Carefully, she covered his right hand with hers, " _You_ cannot be replaced. So, be thankful. Be happy. Don't worry about anything – everything's gonna be just fine. It's gonna take a minute, but we'll get you put back together. Okay?"

This time, he did smile, grateful for the encouragement, "Okay." – and gently squeezed her hand – "Thank you, AJ."

AJ grinned and started to speak, but her cell phone interrupted her thoughts.

"And it could buy me a boat.  
It could buy me a truck to pull it.  
It could buy me a Yeti one-ten iced down with some Silver Bullets.  
Yeah, and I know what they say; money can't buy everything.  
Well, maybe so…  
But it could buy me a boat."

Casey couldn't help but laugh at the song that was her ringtone. He watched her fish the phone from her pocket and swipe her thumb across the screen.

"Hey, honey." she giggled, amused by her patient's reaction.

"Hey, baby girl. We're at _Arby's_. You want the usual?" asked the male voice at the other end of the line.

"Yes, please. Root beer to drink this time, though."

"Okay. How's your buddy?"

AJ looked up at Casey and smiled, "He's awake, actually."

"Cool. Is he hungry?"

She pulled the phone away from her ear a little, "Do you want anything from _Arby's_ , Lieutenant?"

"Um…" Taken aback by the question, Casey had to think for a moment, "Sure. I'll do a number one with curly fries."

AJ's smile widened, "I like the way you think. You catch that, babe?"

"Yeah, I got it." the man answered, "We'll be by there in a minute."

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you."

"Husband?" Casey asked as she ended the call.

AJ chuckled, "No."

He raised one eyebrow, "Boyfriend?"

She shook her head as she stood. It was time to check his vitals. "Nope."

He watched her as she prepped the machine, "You sure?"

Her nod was firm, "I'm sure."

…

The knock at the door roused Casey from his nap. He could hear two men talking to the firefighter that was stationed outside of his room.

AJ looked up from the magazine that she had been reading, "Lunch is here."

With a soft click, the door opened and a tall, muscular, handsome, dark-haired medic slipped inside with a bag of food in one hand and a cup carrier in the other. His partner stayed outside.

Casey grinned as he recognized the man who also lived on the floor above him. His name was Tyler Harrison, and he was one of the best medics CFD had. "Hey, Tyler."

"Whassup, Lieutenant?" Tyler handed the food over to AJ and carefully shook Casey's hand, "You feelin' any better?" His accent matched hers.

"I am." He managed to nod a little toward AJ, "I've got a great nurse."

Tyler shot her a wink, "I reckon she'll do. You gotta watch her, though – she 'forgets' to eat lunch sometimes. Especially when I'm workin'."

AJ stuck her tongue out at him.

He laughed and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, "I hate to run, but we're on unofficial business here. I'll see you at home, okay?"

"Okay." She hugged him, "Be safe."

"Always." He kissed her cheek, "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Tyler gave Casey a wave as he headed out the door, "See ya later, Lieutenant."

Casey smiled, "Bye, Tyler." Once the door closed, he turned his attention to AJ, who was busy unwrapping his sandwich, "Not your boyfriend, huh?"

She pushed his rolling tray over, "Not my boyfriend."

"Sure didn't look like it from here."

He was kidding with her. Good. It meant that he was feeling better. "Tyler is my best friend. We met in kindergarten, and we've been inseparable ever since. I guess we'd be considered common law married in some states; we've been roommates since we were eighteen."

Casey was skeptical, "But he's not your boyfriend."

AJ opened his straw and popped it into his drink, "Right."

He chuckled, "I don't believe you."

She paused for a moment, like she was mulling over something serious. Finally, she spoke, "Lieutenant, if I tell you something, will you swear not to tell anyone? Cause if you tell, it'll end his career."

Crap. He hadn't intended for their conversation to take a serious turn! He was in too deep to back out now, though. "I won't say anything."

AJ took a slow breath, "Tyler's gay."

…

Author's Note: So much love! Rest assured, this will NOT be a Dawsey story. I'm sorry, but I'm over that mess and I'm over Dawson. I used to really like her, but she really needs to get her crap together. I'm going to be leaving the whole baby thing out, too, because, let's face it – that's a bit much. _Chicago Fire_ is an action drama, not a soap opera.

Tyler also belongs to me. The song that I used is not mine. It belongs to Chris Janson, and it's called "Buy Me A Boat". If you haven't heard it, YouTube it.

Thanks to twin of a sister, HermioneandMarcus, Pallada, Ghostwriter, Megth, Daisyangel, and Sarrabr4 for the reviews! Thanks to twin of a sister, TheShadowedVeil, Pallada, Megth, htomcatftw, JennAy9110, , xxunowhoxx, ExtremeProcrastinator, The Grandeurs of Despair, 95, and DeanLittle67 for the follows and favorites! Thanks also to my readers!


	3. Not A Glamorous Tale

"There is no way in hell that Tyler Harrison is gay."

"Oh, yeah there is, too." AJ spread a napkin out on the tray and removed Casey's fries from the bag.

"How? He's like the Kelly Severide of EMS!"

AJ shrugged, "I dunno how it works, but he came out to me when we were sixteen. I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now, but I love him anyway."

Casey was silent for a moment, processing this new information. Tyler could have any woman he wanted. Easily! But he was gay? It didn't make sense. "Soooo...how would that threaten his job? There are laws in place to prevent that."

"I know." She sat down on the edge of his bed, "Some houses aren't quite as...accepting...of people as house Fifty-One is. You're really fortunate to work there."

Casey frowned, "They can't fire him for being gay."

"No, but they can sure as hell make his life miserable. They can run him off. West Side is rough. ...I was really hoping that he would get Peter Mills' spot, but they picked Chili instead." She shrugged, "Maybe one day."

"I'll put in a good word for him." he offered. The odds of a spot coming open at 51 right now were pretty slim, but he didn't want to tell her that.

"I appreciate that." She decided to change the subject, "So, how do you want to do this? I can feed you if you need me to."

He hadn't really thought about that. He'd been so focused on getting back to work that he hadn't stopped to think about his injuries hindering simple things like eating. "Um...I think I can do it." He chuckled, trying to make light of the situation, "I've at least got one good arm."

AJ smiled, "Yeah. It's not looking like you're gonna have to have any surgeries."

"That's good." He hadn't really thought about surgery, either. Carefully, he picked up his sandwich, "What, um...is my damage exactly?" Cautiously, he took a bite. It was awkward, but not impossible to eat with a neck brace on. Progress.

It amazed her that he was doing so well considering what he'd just endured. He didn't know it, but she'd been checking him for neurological damage since he'd awoke that morning. So far, he'd been able to follow her with his eyes as she moved around the room, he wasn't having any trouble speaking or swallowing, and he had complete use of his right arm and hand. Now all she had to do was get him out of those casts and braces so that the damage to his left side could be properly assessed. She watched him slowly chew for a moment before speaking, "You won't believe me."

Casey swallowed carefully, "I might."

"You have whiplash, six cracked ribs, three breaks in your left forearm, a break here - " - she carefully touched his left thigh – "- and a break to both bones down here." – she touched his calf – "And that's it aside from some internal bruising and various cuts and scrapes. I thought you'd at least have some ruptured discs or pinched nerves, but so far, nothing has been found."

This gave him hope. His injuries were bad, but not career ending. He tried unsuccessfully to nod. One never truly realized how much one repeated certain gestures until said gestures were hindered. "Wow. Could be worse."

"A _lot_ worse." She picked his cup up and held it so that he could get a drink, "I'm telling you, Lieutenant – you're a true miracle."

…

Casey was exhausted by the time another knock sounded at his door. As soon as the doctor had heard that he was awake, the man had ordered a battery of CTs, labs, and X-rays. Someone from physical therapy had even stopped by to talk to him! By the time it was all said and done, he'd been poked, pricked, prodded, bumped, thumped, and jostled around to the point of finally breaking down and asking AJ for some pain medicine. Which, by the way, had yet to kick in. He was tired and sore and about half cranky, and visitors weren't exactly high on his Things-I-Feel-Like-Dealing-With List.

Chili popped her head into the room and grinned at him, "Hey, Lieutenant!"

Despite his aches and pains and newfound shitty mood, Casey smiled at her, "Hey, girls."

"How do you feel?" Brett asked, following her partner into the room.

"Like I got hit by a semi." Casey answered honestly.

"At least you're not dead." Chili pointed out, leaning back against the wall.

"Very true." He looked up as his door opened again, revealing AJ.

"Hey, Bear." Chili smiled as the nurse entered the room carrying a water pitcher and a small stack of Styrofoam cups.

"Hey, Chili Willy." AJ sat the pitcher and cups onto Casey's rolling tray and turned around to face the medics, "And Chili's partner."

Brett smiled as she extended her hand, "Brett."

"AJ." She shook the blonde's hand, "Nice to meet you."

"So, you were Chili's partner before she got transferred?"

AJ nodded, "I work EMS part time. I was filling in for her actual partner. He'd been shot, so he was off for a while."

"Oh." She'd said that like someone getting shot was a normal thing.

"Truck and Squad are wrapping up a scene." Chili continued, "They're gonna stop by as soon as they're done."

Casey had to remind himself to refrain from nodding, "Okay."

"Chili told me to ask you about your nickname, AJ." Brett queried, sliding her hands into her jacket pockets.

AJ shot Chili a _Really?_ look, "Believe me, it's not a glamorous tale."

"Oh, c'mon! Please?" Chili begged, "I promise it'll be the last time I ask you to tell it."

"That's what you said last time!"

"I'd kinda like to hear this, too." Casey spoke up, amused by AJ's reaction to Chili's request.

AJ sighed in defeat and leaned against Casey's bed, "Okay, but this is the _last_ time." Briefly, she paused for dramatic effect, "Contrary to popular belief, I did _not_ earn my nickname because I'm a badass paramedic. I'm originally from eastern Tennessee. We have bears. _Lots_ of bears. One day, unbeknownst to me, my _fabulous_ partner-slash-roommate left a half-eaten sandwich in the passenger seat of my _car_. For the _entire_ shift. In the middle of _July_. During a heat wave."

Brett began to giggle, seeing where the story was going. Chili was laughing, too.

"Sometime shortly after about dark-thirty, we hear this _horrific_ crash. We thought someone had wrecked outside of the firehouse, so everyone goes running outside ready to work a scene. …It's not a wreck."

"Oh, no!" Brett laughed, "It was a bear?"

AJ nodded, scrunching up her nose, "Yeah. A big one. Hanging out of the _window_ of my _car_. He had smelled Tyler's sandwich and decided that he was hungry."

By now, even Casey was chuckling softly. "That sucks."

"Oh, no, it gets better. The aggravatin' little shit had gotten himself _stuck_."

Brett gasped, "What did you _do_?"

AJ shrugged, "Called Fish and Wildlife. They tranquilized it, and _we_ had to cut it out. Apparently, he had rummaged around some trying to find more snacks and attempted to listen to the radio while he was taking a break. There were wires and plastic and seat covers and the foam cushions that're in the seats _everywhere_. Freakin' totaled my car."

"Oh, that must've sucked _so_ bad!"

She nodded, "Little bit. That's why they call me Bear."

Chili clapped her old partner's shoulder, "Hey, speaking of which, when're you and Tyler Harrison gonna suck it up and get married? You two have lived together for _ever_."

Casey watched AJ's face as she smiled at Chili, totally playing it cool. She was covering for Tyler.

"Ah, you never know about us, Chili. We might haul off and surprise you one of these days."

…

"You're lucky."

Dawson paused, frowning ever so slightly at the nurse who had spoken to her as she'd been heading back to Casey's room after a trip to the cafeteria. "Excuse me?"

AJ adjusted her purse on her shoulder. She was headed home for the night. "You're lucky to have someone like Lieutenant Casey. Have you ever noticed the way he looks at you?"

This was weird. "Uh…"

"He looks at you like his whole universe would cease to exist if you weren't in it. Like you're his whole entire world." She sighed, "Do you know what I would do to have someone who looked at me like he looks at you? Most guys aren't like that. He loves you with everything he has. You're really lucky."

So, Casey hadn't told his nurse about their relationship status. Dawson tried to smile, "Yeah, he does. We're not together, though."

AJ's jaw dropped. She gawked at the firefighter, "Well why the hell not?"

This time, Dawson did smile at her, but it was a sad one, "It's…complicated."

…

Author's Note: I am loving the feedback I'm getting! Keep it up, please! Thanks to HermioneandMarcus, twin of a sister, Pallada, airmac, Ghostwriter, Sarrabr4, Daisyangel, and my guest reviewer! Thanks to tina. benedetti .3, airmac, Aleja21, Em-Jaye, ASHLEYEMMA25, Pipes of Pan, mycalmhidesastorm, Gryffindor4eva, bookworm1012019, and Allen92909 for the follows/favorites! Thanks also to my readers!


	4. Goodnight, AJ

**Several weeks later...**

"You know that getting attached to a patient is a huge no-no. Developing feelings for a patient is an even bigger no-no."

AJ sighed, "I know. I just...can't help it." She had developed quite an attachment to Truck 81's Lieutenant. However, that attachment had quickly turned into something more along the lines of a major crush. The longer she was around Casey, the more she _wanted_ to be around him. For weeks, she'd wrestled with her feelings, unsure of exactly how she needed to deal with this. "It's like I'm drawn to him. And I don't know if it's because of the wreck or what, but...I really like him."

"And by 'like', you mean...in a more than friends kind of way?"

"...Yeah."

"Have you said anything to him about how you feel?" Slowly, Tyler began to run his fingertips up and down her spine. They had been watching a movie as they cuddled on the couch, but conversation had taken over and the movie had ended without either of them really caring.

AJ fought the urge to shiver as the light caresses quickly became a full-fledged back rub. She loved cuddling with him. And being on the receiving end of his back rubs; Tyler gave the absolute _best_ back rubs. "I haven't said anything. He's still working on Dawson. Poor guy has been trying to talk her into getting back with him since he woke up."

"I still think you should tell him how you feel. I'd like to see you with a decent guy." Although he'd never said anything about it directly, Tyler knew that he was the reason for AJ's chronic singleness. Every relationship she'd had since they became roommates had abruptly ended when the guy had either met him or been told about him. As a man, he understood that – whether they knew about him being gay or not, they saw him as either competition or a preexisting romantic partner. But, it wasn't fair to AJ. He wanted her to find a good man. And although he was still pretty hung up on his ex, Matt Casey was the good man that Tyler wanted AJ to have. If she didn't say something to the Lieutenant, he would.

"I might." She fell silent, enjoying the strength and warmth of his embrace and the feeling of his hands as they worked the tension out of her muscles. His heart beat steadily beneath her cheek, beginning to lull her toward sleep. Being snuggled against Tyler's chest was her favorite place to be in the whole world. And although she would _never_ say anything to him about it, there were times – like now – that she wished her best friend wasn't gay.

"Alex."

 _That_ woke her up. Tyler rarely called her by her first name. When he did, she knew she'd better be paying attention. Carefully, she raised herself up enough to be able to look at him. He had an unusually serious expression on his face.

Tyler spoke with an honesty that touched her, "I love you. More than anything or anyone else, and with my whole entire heart. I want you to find a good man. Please say something to Lieutenant Casey about how you feel. I want you to be happy. I want you to plant that hey-I-like-you seed and see if it grows. I think you would have a real shot with him."

AJ smiled softly at him and gently stroked his cheek, "I'll say something tomorrow. But if the seed does take off, he needs to understand that you and I are a package deal."

He cupped her cheek with one hand, "Don't worry about me, baby, please. Worry about you for once."

She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead, "I love you, Ty."

He pulled her back down gently and hugged her, "I love you, too, baby girl."

…

"What's wrong?" He had that look of utter defeat again.

Casey looked up slowly from his perch on the edge of his bed, quickly blinking back the tears that had gathered unbidden in his eyes. He hadn't heard AJ come in. "Nothing." he lied.

"Matt." Over these past weeks, she'd gotten comfortable enough around him to start using both his first name and pet names. Closing the short distance between them, AJ wrapped her arms around the firefighter. He leaned into her, slid his arms around her waist and buried his face in her shoulder. "Don't lie to me, babe. Tell me what's wrong." she murmured, giving him a small squeeze "Please?"

Casey took a slow, shaky breath, mentally kicking himself for not holding it together. He hated feeling vulnerable, hated for AJ to see him like this. But the pain was just too much right now. He felt her nuzzle his hair, and the tears that he had just fought away sprang back.

"Please, sweetheart." she begged, feeling her scrub top beginning to get damp, "Tell me what's wrong."

"I talked to Dawson again this morning." he croaked, "We're just gonna...stay friends. She still doesn't think it'll work. It was too hard on her, anyway, so...friends it is."

"Oh, honey." She kissed his hair and held him tighter, "I'm sorry." For his sake, she had hoped that Dawson would have given their relationship another chance. Especially considering the fact that Casey could've easily been killed mere weeks ago. This turndown had crushed him.

"It's okay." It wasn't, really, but if he kept telling himself that it was, he might start to believe it.

AJ was silent for a moment, debating on whether or not to say what she was thinking. She didn't want to hurt Casey's feelings any more than they already were, but he needed to hear this. "When you love a first responder – _truly_ love a first responder – you find ways to make it work. If it means coming to the station for five minutes for a hug and kiss, you do it. If it means holding a conversation via sticky notes on the refrigerator, you do it. If it means waiting six hours for a reply to a text message, you do it. If you want an easy relationship, don't date a firefighter." Softly, she began to rub his back, "Never chase love, affection, or attention. If it isn't given freely by another person, it isn't worth having."

…

She watched him as he slept, wishing that she could climb into the bed with him and hold him. He'd been so down and depressed all day. She'd give just about anything to be able to comfort him. Needless to say, she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him about her feelings for him.

He was lying on his right side, curled into a ball as much as his still-healing ribs would allow. The white sheet and blanket were pulled up around the back of his head like a hood. He had no idea that she was there.

Her phone vibrated, catching her attention. It was a text from Tyler.

 _You okay?_

 _Yeah._ she replied, _He's asleep. Doesn't even know I'm here._

 _You're staying all night, right?_

 _Right._

 _If we get a run, I'll swing by. I'm gonna try to catch a nap._

 _Okay. Night, sweetheart. Love you._

 _Love you, baby girl._

When she looked up again, she found herself looking into Casey's blue eyes. She smiled at him, "Hey."

"Hey." He stretched out a little, stopping when a sharp pain shot through his ribs. "I thought you went home."

"I did." She indicated her jeans and t-shirt, "I took a shower, changed clothes, and came back."

"Why?"

There was her opportunity. "You've had a crappy day. I didn't want you to be alone."

Instead of being glad that she'd come to stay with him, Casey's eyes flashed, "Why? Why are you doing this, AJ? Why have you spent every day here with me? Why have you come in on your days off just to see me? Why are you going above and beyond just for _me_?"

He sounded a little angry. She hoped that the anger was because of this morning's conversation with Dawson and not being directed at her. She tried not to sound hurt by the harshness of his words. "I don't know if you remember it or not, but…while we were on scene, you looked at me twice. And somehow…I connected with you. I don't know why, but I did. And I just…couldn't let you go." She fidgeted a little, feeling foolish, "I like you, Matt. A lot. I…I know it's not a good time to be telling you this, but…I…kinda have a crush on you."

Casey was silent for a long time, mulling over her words. He took a slow, calming breath, closing his eyes as he inhaled. When he opened them again, both his eyes and his voice had softened, "C'mere." Slowly, he stretched out a little more and lifted his covers as best he could with his still-casted arm.

AJ's pulse quickened as she realized that he was inviting her into his bed. Quickly, she kicked off her tennis shoes before carefully climbing onto the mattress and lying down beside him.

"Get closer. It's cold in here."

Wow, talk about a one-eighty! She eased herself down into the bed, getting closer to him, but not quite touching him.

Casey covered the both of them with his blankets and gently nudged AJ until she was snuggled against his body, her head tucked under his chin. He wrapped his arms around her as best he could, "I don't bite, y'know."

She smiled, still not quite sure of what to make of this drastic turn of events.

"I've been thinking about what you said earlier. About not chasing after love, and affection, and attention. …You're right." He gave her a small squeeze, "I've come to the conclusion, however, that when you do come across someone who freely gives you their love, affection, and attention, you'd better acknowledge it. And return it." Softly, he kissed the top of her head, "Goodnight, AJ."

…

Author's Note: Thanks to twin of a sister, Daisyangel, HermioneandMarcus, Sarrabr4 for the reviews! Thanks to lynnenikko666, BehindGrayEyes, and Vsanson11 for the favorites/follows! Thanks also to my readers!


	5. Surprise

Casey watched AJ from the corner of his eye as she easily navigated through the morning traffic, taking him to work. It was his first day back, and he was more than ready for it. Being off for so long had been hard, but AJ had been a big help. And Tyler, too. And Severide.

A lot had changed since he'd been off. The mess with Rice had more or less been resolved. Severide had told him about it; he'd been the one to dismiss Rice from Squad. Truck had lost a member as well. Cruz had passed his tests and taken Rice's place on Squad. Casey hated to lose Cruz, but he was proud of his friend for making Squad. Otis was driving now. He wasn't sure how he felt about that just yet.

"You nervous?" AJ asked, breaking their comfortable silence.

Casey shook his head as he smiled at her, "Nah. I'm ready to go put out some fires."

She laughed, "Just go easy on it at first, okay? Don't want you to get hurt again."

"I will." Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind, "Hey, is Tyler completely certified as a firefighter?"

"Yeah. He's got a couple of refresher courses coming up, but he's kept everything up to date." She glanced at him inquisitively, "Why?"

Casey shrugged nonchalantly, "Just wondered."

AJ wondered what the Lieutenant had up his sleeve, "You're planning something."

"Maybe. I need to talk to some people first, though, so don't say anything."

She smiled excitedly at him, "Okay."

He was silent for a moment, studying her as she drove, a small grin still lingering on her lips. She had been so good to him since the accident. Never once had she asked for anything in return. She had given him her love, affection, and attention freely and completely. She had saved his life in more ways than one. _I've come to the conclusion, however, that when you do come across someone who freely gives you their love, affection, and attention, you'd better acknowledge it. And return it._ "AJ?"

"Yeah?" She slowed down, preparing to pull up to the firehouse and let him out.

"Did you really mean what you said the other day about having a crush on me?"

Her heart stopped. This was the first time he'd said anything about the confession she's made to him while he was still in the hospital weeks ago. What did this mean? She kept her voice steady, not wanting to betray her nerves, "Yeah, I really did."

"I thought so." As soon as the car stopped, he got out and grabbed his overnight bag from the back seat.

"Have a good day." AJ called through the still-open passenger side door, trying not to sound disappointed by his reply.

Casey shut the back door, "I will."

"Be safe."

"Always." He leaned back into the car and captured her lips in a soft, slow kiss. It took her a split second to respond, but when she did, it shot through him like an electric shock. Her lips were soft and yielding and her kisses were both eager and passionate. He would've loved to have kissed her for hours, but he had to get to work. Reluctantly, he ended it.

Breathless, she looked up at him. Did that really just happen? Did he really just kiss her? Her body tingled with excitement.

Casey smiled at her, "I'll talk to you later."

…

Author's Note: Thanks to Pallada, twin of a sister, and Daisyangel for the reviews! Thanks also to mich-shelly, ForestCreeper, daniellepaduch26, xxArmageddonxx, and Triggerfinger 213 for the favorites/follows! Thanks also to my readers!


	6. Firehouse 51

_Come to the firehouse. Bring Tyler._

Tyler sat nervously in the passenger seat of AJ's car, his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest. There weren't any medic spots open at 51 that he knew of. Had someone quit? He was trying not to get his hopes up, but Casey's text message was messing with him. What was going on? What had Casey done?

"Breathe." AJ said, reaching over and lacing her fingers through his.

"I can't." He pushed his free hand through his hair, "He didn't say anything at all this morning about a medic spot coming open?"

"No, baby. He just said he needed to talk to some people. He asked me if you had all of your firefighter certifications, though."

Oh, _crap_. It had been a _long_ time since he'd been on a fire truck. In fact, he hadn't been on a truck since they'd left Tennessee. He'd kept his certifications up to date just in case he ever had to fill in for someone... Could he even still do it? His brow furrowed with mounting tension, "Is there a firefighter spot open?"

"I didn't think so. Cruz went to Squad and Otis took his spot. I figured Dawson would drop off of candidacy and go to Otis' spot." She pulled into a parking spot and killed the engine, "I guess we'll see."

They had arrived. As he looked out at Firehouse 51, Tyler took a deep breath, steeling himself against his nervousness. What Casey had planned wouldn't be bad, that much was certain. This could very well be his one and only shot at getting in to one of the best houses in Chicago. Whatever was asked of him today, he would do it, no questions asked. He'd waited years to get into 51, and he was _not_ gonna screw that up.

AJ gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, "Ready?"

He nodded, "Ready."

It was a short walk to Chief Boden's office. They avoided the bay so as not to start rumors. AJ held Tyler's hand the entire way, despite the fact that he had put himself into work mode. He gave her one final squeeze as the Chief's open office door loomed and dropped her hand. Here went _everything_.

Casey was standing near Boden's desk, a small smile on his face. He shot AJ a quick wink, which made her grin and blush.

"Welcome to Firehouse Fifty-One." Chief Boden said, standing and extending his hand to Tyler and AJ.

"Thank you, sir." Tyler said, shaking his hand firmly.

Boden indicated the chairs in front of his desk, "Please, have a seat."

That was Casey's cue to close the door. He closed the blinds as well, just in case anyone happened by.

"I've heard a lot about you, Tyler." Boden continued, returning to his seat.

"Good things I hope." Tyler grinned, exuding confidence he didn't really have.

"Very good things. I understand that you have discussed your interest in transferring to this house with Lieutenant Casey."

AJ had discussed it with Casey more than he had, but no one else needed to know that. He nodded, "Yes, sir."

"I don't have a medic position open right now. I do have a firefighter position open. Would you be interested in it?"

So it _was_ a firefighter position. Okay. He'd probably be more than a little rusty, but it was a spot in a good house. It was what he wanted. "Yes, sir, very interested."

Boden smiled, "Okay, then. I'll get with your chief right away. You'll start here on the next shift."

Tyler beamed, "Thank you, sir." He shook Boden's hand, "You won't regret this, I promise."

…

"So, what, you're passing me over now?"

Casey looked up from his paperwork. Dawson hadn't even knocked. He knew she would be mad about not being taken off of candidacy, and he had prepared himself for that. "I'm not passing you over."

She crossed her arms over her chest, visibly irritated, "Then what do you call it? I was up for that spot. And instead, you pull a _medic_ from the other side of town? What the hell?"

His response was calm, "Listen, Dawson, I know you're upset. I get that. I just think you need a little more time as a Candidate."

"Why? So you can get back at me for turning you down?"

Ouch. That hurt. He hid it, though. "Believe me, Gabby, if this was personal, you would've been transferred to another house long before I was even able to start thinking about coming back to work. I'm not that big of an asshole, okay? I just think you need more work. You're a great firefighter, you really are. But I don't think you're ready to be on your own yet. You're doing great. You just need a little more polishing. That's all."

Dawson considered this, "You really think I'm doing great?"

Casey nodded, "I do."

"How much longer will I be a Candidate?"

He shrugged, "Until you're ready. It won't be too much longer, I promise."

…

"So, let me get this straight." Otis started, handing Tyler his phone back, "You live with _that_ , and have lived with _that_ for going on _seventeen_ _years_ now, and you're _not_ a couple?"

"Right." Tyler nodded, returning his phone to his pocket. It was his first day at Firehouse 51, and he was getting _grilled_. Mostly about AJ. He kind of wished he'd never said anything about her; the looks that some of the guys had given her picture were beginning to make him mad.

"I could've sworn you two were a thing." Chili said.

He shrugged, playing it off, "She's my best friend, Chili. Has been since kindergarten. It'd be weird." He'd never really talked about their relationship in public. It was a little uncomfortable.

She wasn't going to let it go, though, "So…you two have never dated, never talked about it, never…anything?"

Oh, she was pushing it. Chili always had enjoyed getting under his skin. He needed to stay calm, though, and not let her get to him. Tyler made a face at her, "No. It'd be too weird."

Chili must've sensed his unease. She kept pushing. "Not even once?" And then, a thought struck her, "Bear's not…gay…is she?"

That did it. His eyes flashed as anger flared within him, "Okay, this conversation is _over_. Her name is _Alex_ , she is _not_ gay, and she is my _best_ _friend_. She is the one and _only_ thing that I give a rat's ass about. I would greatly appreciate it if no one disrespected her."

"Tyler, can I see you in my office?"

Tyler flinched. He hadn't heard Casey approaching him from behind. That little outburst would probably get him in trouble. "Fuck." he whispered through gritted teeth as he stood and followed his Lieutenant out of the bay.

…

"Sorry about that, Lieutenant." Tyler apologized as soon as he shut Casey's office door, "I let Chili get to me and I shouldn't have. I just…get really riled up when it comes to AJ."

Casey shrugged as he leaned against the corner of his desk, crossing his arms over his chest, "I thought you handled it pretty well."

He smiled a little but didn't relax. Being called into someone's office was bad nine times out of ten. What was this about?

"AJ is actually what I wanted to talk to you about." He shifted just a little, "…I was wondering if you'd be okay with me asking her out."

Tyler chuckled. He couldn't help it – his Lieutenant, his _boss_ , was asking his permission to date his best friend! "It'd make her really happy if you did."

"You think so?"

"I _know_ so. …Her favorite color is hot pink. Don't take her to a sit-down restaurant; she's super picky and will _not_ eat her money's worth. She likes action movies and anything _Marvel_ -related. She loves all kinds of music, especially nineties country, but if you want to get somewhere, go with George Strait. She's horrified of spiders. Going to Wal-Mart turns her into some kind of monster because they either don't have what she needs, it's on the top shelf, they've raised the price, or somebody's having a family reunion in the bread aisle." As he spoke, Casey began to chuckle, "She'll drag you through _every_ store in the mall, try on clothes for _hours_ and not buy a damn thing because it's 'too expensive', she doesn't have a coupon, or it's not on sale. I dunno if that's a woman thing or not, but be prepared."

Casey shook his head, "You know her pretty well, huh?"

Tyler smiled softly, "When you've known someone for almost thirty years and lived with 'em for almost seventeen of it, you start to figure 'em out."

"So, you're okay with it?"

"Yeah, man, I'm cool with it."

"Anything else I should know?" Casey asked as he moved to open the door.

"Just love her, Lieutenant. That's really all she wants."

…

Author's Note: Thanks to twin of a sister, Pallada, WolfGirl75, Sarrabr4, Daisyangel, HermioneandMarcus, and Dawsey Forever for the reviews! Thanks to isensiel, WolfGirl75, loganandveronica4ever, Naleyfan-2215, Em-x. everlasting, flooda, hrodenhaver, Dawsey Forever, and Duskborn for the favorites/follows! Thanks also to my readers!


	7. Mine

Casey smiled at AJ as she leaned against his office door, and held up one finger, indicating that his phone conversation was almost over. She was wearing flip-flops, cutoff denim shorts, a hot pink t-shirt, and had her hair pulled up into a ponytail. Her toenails matched the color of her shirt. Late summer looked good on her. He couldn't help but look her up and down as he left a voicemail, "Hey, Jack, this is Matt Casey. Give me a call when you get this. Thanks." He ended the call and stood to hug her, "Hey, you."

"Hey." She returned the hug, secretly reveling in the strength of his embrace. "How's your day been?"

"Good, actually." He pulled away slowly, "How was yours?"

"Busy, but nothing too crazy. I worked the ER today. Thought we'd be gettin' some fun stuff now that the weather has faired up, but I guess people just haven't gotten out yet." She shifted a little, unsure of how to pose her next question, "Um...that wasn't Jack Nesbitt you were calling, was it?"

That was an odd question. Casey frowned at her, "Yeah. Why?"

Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit! She'd been hoping that he'd changed his mind about the strip club job. Apparently he had not. Jack Nesbitt was the definition of bad news. She needed to get Casey away from him by whatever means necessary. AJ couldn't keep the panic from her voice, "When he calls you back, tell him you're out. Tell him to find someone else. Tell him you can't do the job. Tell him anything you have to tell him to get away from him. Don't get mixed up with that man, Matt, please."

Her urgency alarmed him. What did she know about Jack Nesbitt? And why did he scare her so badly? "AJ, I need a truck. I need the money. I need this job."

 _No, you really_ _ **don't**_ _need this job! You'll get killed if you take it!_ she thought as her pulse quickened, _Please believe me!_ "You can use Tyler's truck. I'll work with you. For free! For however long you need me. Please, Matt." She gripped his hand, "Please. Get out now."

Something wasn't adding up here. Why was she so adamant about him getting away from Jack? What did she know that he didn't? Casey narrowed his eyes at her, "Why?"

She was going to have to tell him. She'd shown her hand, and now she had to explain herself. She'd honestly kind of been hoping to avoid this conversation, but if it kept him safe, they'd talk. AJ sighed as she dropped Casey's hand. Without a word, she closed his door, locked it, and pulled the blinds shut. "Call Voight, too. Tell him you're out. Please."

Whoa. Where did _that_ come from? He was pretty sure he hadn't said anything to her about his undercover job. "Excuse me?"

Slowly, she rolled up her right sleeve, revealing a large, somewhat circular-shaped scar in the middle of her shoulder.

"My gosh, AJ, what happened?" Tentatively, he put his hand on her shoulder, rubbing his thumb lightly over the old scar. A bullet wound. It was a through-and-through; his fingers grazed the exit scar on the back of her shoulder.

"You know those 'undercovers' that Antonio and Voight told you about? The ones that 'didn't work out'?"

He nodded.

"You're lookin' at one of 'em."

Casey drew his hand back, "You're a cop?"

She shook her head, "Not anymore. I used to do some undercover work for them. It was an occasional side-job. Nothing super flashy, and nothing regular, just extra income when we needed it. Tyler has a friend that's an undercover officer, so that's how I got into it. A few years ago, a new officer and I got roped into going undercover to try to bust _Stilettos_. She blew our cover just when we were getting somewhere. She's dead. If Tyler hadn't snuck around and followed me, I would be, too. That's when I got out. They didn't pay me enough to get shot at."

He lowered his gaze as he touched her shoulder again, "They didn't tell me that."

"Didn't figure they would." She covered his hand with hers, "Look at me, Matt."

Slowly, he met her blue eyes.

" _Stilettos_ is one tiny link in a _huge_ human trafficking chain. CPD is _not_ equipped to deal with something as big as this. They need to let the Feds take over. This is an international thing, not a Chicago thing. Several foreign agencies are gonna have to get involved, too, before this stops."

"I think I can help, though." His mind was reeling, trying to process this new information. AJ had been an undercover officer. He remembered an incident in which a new officer had been killed and another injured during a sting operation, but he hadn't known any details past that. The whole thing had been kept very hushed. It would've been nice if those details had been shared with him before he'd gotten in this deep.

AJ took his face in her hands, "I know, sweetheart, but it's not worth your life. It's not worth you getting hurt or killed. Or both. ...Say no. Please."

Casey looked at her for a long time, studying her pleading eyes. She was genuinely freaked out about this. Knowing what he knew now, her unease rattled him.

"Please, Matt."

He broke. Sighing, he bowed his head and kissed her scarred shoulder, "Okay."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, "Thank you."

There was a tone of tremendous relief in her voice. She really did care about him. She'd proven that time and time again. It was nice to have someone in his life that genuinely cared about his wellbeing. He put his arms around her and held her, resting his cheek against her hair.

"I'll help you on jobs, okay? Tyler will help, too." She nuzzled his shoulder, "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know." He pulled back enough to look down at her, keeping his arms around her, "How'd you know about _Stilettos_?"

"Tyler's friend caught wind of it shortly after your accident. He called me."

"I see." He was silent for a moment, contemplating his next move. She was looking up at him patiently; almost like she was watching the wheels turn in his mind. He could get lost in her eyes. _Go for it._ whispered a voice in his mind. Gently, he lifted her chin.

AJ's world stopped when Casey's lips touched hers. He was tentative at first, but grew bolder when she kissed him back. Carefully, he backed her into his office door, keeping his arms against the doorframe so it wouldn't hurt her back.

She smelled good. He didn't know what kind of perfume she was wearing, but he liked it. It was spicy and sweet at the same time. She felt good, too – soft and feminine and warm in his arms. A small sound escaped her as he deepened the kiss. It was a tiny little sound, but it was sexy as hell. It did things to him. He was pretty sure that she could feel exactly what it was doing to him. After several minutes, though, he eased up; they needed air.

Breathless, AJ looked up at Casey as he pulled back slightly, bringing her away from his door. Wow. That was a good one. A _really_ good one. She wanted another. She wanted more. She wanted _him_.

He smiled softly at her, loosening his arms a little. "Sorry." he murmured, lightly stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers, "Hadn't really planned on doing that."

Her skin tingled where his fingers had caressed. "Well, any time you want to do it again, feel free."

Casey chuckled softly, cupping her jaw and continuing to stroke her cheek with his thumb, "Would you like it if I did?"

She nodded, blushing a little.

"I think that could be arranged." He grinned, "I don't just give those away, though."

He was flirting with her. She smiled, "Oh?"

"There are…stipulations."

"Such as?" She loved the way he was looking at her. It made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. It made her feel like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. It made her feel like she was his. She wanted that…she'd wanted it for a while now. She wanted to be his.

"There's just one, really." Casey continued, enjoying the rare opportunity to openly flirt, even if it was in the privacy of his office. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to move toward her.

"And's what's that?"

"Be mine." There were only a few inches between them now.

Mine. His. Matt Casey's. She could feel the warmth of his body as he closed the distance between them. "I'd like that."

"Me, too." He brushed a soft, teasing kiss over her lips, "So, what do say? Mine?"

AJ's smile widened, "Yours."

"Good." he whispered, capturing her in another heated kiss.

…

Author's Note: Thanks to airmac (You totally made my day!), HermioneandMarcus, WolfGirl75, and Sarrabr4 for the reviews! Thanks to kblatz and dancergrl1 for the follows/favorites! Thanks also to my readers!


	8. Mad At You

"Good heavens, what is that _delightful_ aroma?" Mouch asked, following his nose into the break room.

AJ laughed at him as she plated the chicken that she had been frying, "It's called food. You want some?"

"Yes, please." As he took his place in line, Mouch frowned at the pitcher of brown liquid that sat at the end of the kitchen counter, "What's in the pitcher?"

"Sweet tea." Tyler answered, checking the pot of green beans that he was tending.

"Sweet...tea?" The thought wasn't exactly appetizing.

Cruz made a face, "Gross."

"Sweet tea is awesome." Brett piped. "I haven't had any in forever!"

"We don't drink sweet tea in Chicago." Chili teased.

AJ made a disgusted sound and let her accent slip, "Don't I know it! Shew! That shit you Yankees drink ain't no better'n dirty dishwater!"

"Unsweetened tea isn't that bad." Otis offered.

AJ actually stopped turning the ears of corn that she was boiling and turned around to look at him, "Otis, I've been north of the Mason-Dixon for over a decade now. I have tried unsweetened tea. That is the most foul-tasting concoction that I have ever had the _displeasure_ of allowing to pass over my tongue. There is _nothing_ good about unsweetened tea. It's worse than cheap bourbon."

The mention of bourbon caught Herrmann's attention, "Oh, you like bourbon, huh?"

She shrugged as she went back to her cooking, "I like good bourbon."

"Like...?"

"Woodford Reserve. Willett."

"Maker's Forty-Six is good." Tyler added.

Herrmann was in his element now, "What about that Pappy Van Winkle stuff? What's it like?"

Tyler huffed, "Much ado about nothin'. It's okay, but that shit's expensive. I can't enjoy it because I'm thinking about how much a shot costs!"

"Weller's twelve-year-old is better." AJ interjected, "And it's a fraction of the price. _If_ you can find it."

Herrmann grinned as he saw a chance to expand Molly's selection, "I think the three of us need to talk."

Tyler laughed as he removed the cornbread from the oven, "Is there free alcohol involved?"

Dawson fumed as she watched AJ. She'd seen the other woman holding Casey's hand earlier. _That_ was why she'd been passed over for the spot that Tyler now filled. Casey was trying to earn brownie points with AJ by bringing her not-boyfriend roommate into 51. It must've worked. It made her mad. Not because Casey was moving on, but because his moving on had resulted in her being passed over for a spot that she had worked really hard for. She wanted to say something about it, just to see if she could hit a nerve, thus proving her suspicions. Maybe when she wasn't so ticked…

Chili nudged Dawson's shoulder, "Cheer up, buttercup."

Dawson forced a smile, "Sorry. I was just thinking."

"About?"

She shook her head, "Stupid stuff. It's nothing. Really."

…

As he finished up his last forkful of green beans, Casey felt his phone begin to vibrate. Quickly, he pulled it from his pocket, glanced at the screen, and made a beeline for the door.

His quick exit wasn't lost on AJ. "I'll be back." she muttered, leaving Tyler at Truck's table as she hurried after Casey. She had a pretty good idea of who was on the other end of that phone call. She found him outside, around the corner of the building.

"Yeah, I'm doing a lot better. Still waiting on the insurance companies to settle, though. I don't know how much longer that'll take." Casey chuckled as he leaned against the brick exterior of the firehouse, "I know - it's getting old. The truck driver said it was his fault. ...Yeah, I'm still interested. I'm going tomorrow to look at a truck and some tools. …I salvaged a few tools, but I lost plenty, too." He paused a little longer this time, "I can start next week; I'll have enough to get started with for now. ...Okay. I'll see you next week." Casey ended the call and turned around, nearly crashing into AJ, who was standing behind him, arms crossed over her chest.

She was _not_ happy, "Are you serious?"

Uh-oh. "AJ-"

"Did you not listen to a _damn_ thing I said?!" Oh, she was mad! He had completely gone back on his word! An hour ago, he was ready to walk away from Jack Nesbitt and Stilettos!

"AJ-"

"You're gonna get your fool self killed, Matthew!"

He grabbed her arms, silencing her, "AJ! Calm down."

She seethed, biting her bottom lip to keep herself from completely unloading on him.

"I know what I said, okay? And I know what you said. But, I've been thinking about it and…" He sighed, loosening his grip on her, "I can't just walk away. I can't just let this go. There are people – women – who need help. I can help. I know I can. I might not be able to stop the whole operation, but I can put a dent in it. …I'm sorry. I know you're angry. You have every right to be. But I can't just drop this. I can't. My conscious won't let me live with it if I do."

AJ stared hard at him for several tense minutes, weighing her options. She was _so_ mad at him right now. But, at the same time…she was proud of him. It was stupid, and _totally_ contradicted the conversation that they'd had earlier, but she was proud of him for being so passionate about helping these people. "I'm going with you."

Casey shook his head, "Oh no you're not. No. Absolutely not."

"Oh, yes I am. You forget, sweetheart, this ain't my first rodeo." Did he honestly think that she was gonna just let him waltz into this alone? Hell no!

"AJ, you are _not_ coming with me. It's too dangerous."

"Exactly. Somebody has to cover your ass."

"I can cover my own ass, thank you."

"Well, you'll just have double coverage, then. I'm coming with you, Matt. Period."

"AJ-"

"End of discussion."

He stopped himself from arguing with her. Her eyes were blazing with a mixture of determination and anger. She wasn't going to back down. He really hadn't wanted her to get wrapped up in this mess again. What would happen if Jack recognized her? True, it had been years since the botched operation, but still... He was gonna have to pull this off quickly. It was one thing to put himself in danger, but it was a whole different ballgame when another person was added to the equation. Especially someone he cared about.

"My boss is gonna pitch a fit, but I'll rearrange my work schedule. I've got plenty of vacation time saved back, too, if I need it."

"AJ, I really don't want you to get involved in this."

She shrugged, "I don't want to be involved in it, either, but it's too late now."

"What happens if it goes south?" What happened if she got hurt? Or worse? He _really_ wished she hadn't followed him out here!

"We run like hell." She sighed, "I'm mad at you, Matt, _really_ mad at you. I don't like it when people tell me one thing and do another."

He bowed his head, "I know. I'm sorry."

She took both of his hands in hers, squeezing slightly, "But I'm also proud of you for trying to make a difference."

Casey smiled a little as he looked up at her, "Thank you." He wrapped her up in a gentle hug, "If things start to look even the slightest bit rough, we'll pull out. Okay?"

"You swear?"

"I swear."

…

Author's Note: Oh, y'all of little faith… I got this.

Thanks to Dawsey Forever, isensiel, Pallada, airmac (Once again, day made.), SweetKittyCat, HermioneandMarcus, and my guests for the reviews! Thanks to SweetKittyCat, xMidnightLilliex, Ch3rryies, Ain'tEasyBeingBreezy, and aussietrueblue for the follows/favorites! Thanks also to my readers!

The rating is probably gonna change in the next chapter or so. Still working out some details.


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